On the Outside, Looking In
by starshards
Summary: Have you ever looked at the heroes of the BBA Revolution, I mean really, really looked? I have, and sometimes when you read in between the lines you can see things that you weren't meant to see. Slash KR MT


Shinigami Tenshi: Here I am with a one- shot ^^ not as 'bouncy' as I usually do, but still an idea I've had for a while.

Rei: What you gonna do to me?

ST: Rei! Don't be so self- centred!

Rei: *blanches* Self- centred!? After what you did to me!? You're lucky I trust you at all!

ST: ¬¬ I got you laid.

Rei: *blushes* Ah… yes… well.

ST: Yas my friends! A non- Rei suffering fic. Shame I can't say the same for my next idea… *looks sweetly at Rei.*

Rei: Oh no you don't! *tackles ST*

ST: I never knew that you were *that* way inclined Rei- Rei…

Rei: *scoots off* Never!

ST: For reference, I'm using Japanese terms yet again, but to be fair, if you've ever seen the original version, you would too. The BBA Revolution is the much nicer Japanese name for the BladeBreakers. And as to who's doing all of this in-depth analysing, well, you'll have to guess… at least until it becomes blatantly obvious.

The 'BBA Revolution'. Official team of the Beyblade Association. Four teenage boys, hand picked by experts on the strength of their 'Beyblading' talent, were selected to make the 'perfect' team. Their purpose? To win a few tournaments and to help save the world from mad scientists who planned to use sacred spirits trapped inside these 'Beyblades'. Not that the initial plan _was_ to save the world several times, it's just that these crazy guys happened to pop up more frequently then tournaments. 

It seemed that the four sacred spirits of legend were very desirable, and coincidentally enough, they happened to reside with the very boys who set about defeating them. The very reason that these elite bladers were chosen by the four sacred spirits was the same as why they always seemed to win, no matter how steep the odds. Because they were special.

Were they perfect back then? Are they now? That all depends on your opinion of perfect. If you perceived perfect as being well behaved, controlled, uniform and strategic then no, that's the last thing the BBA Revolution are. That's the very reason why I believe that they _are_ the perfect team. Because they are not a 'thing', they are four individuals with four very different personalities, and somewhere in-between all of the fights and joking there is a balance, a balance which makes them what they are. The complex and often enthralling relationships that they have built around each other is the key to understanding why they have that indefinable, yet undeniable quality that makes them the BBA Revolution.

Everyday I watch, reading between the lines, desperate to interpret silent signals in the hopes that if I could understand them, I could truly be one of them, yet the more I watch, the deeper I get and I seem to get the feeling that, if anything, I'm drifting further away from the answer. Perhaps I'm looking too hard.

"Hey Maxie, what do you say we have a match?" My attention drifts to the source of the voice, smiling as my eyes reach the larger- then- life Kinoyama Takao.

"There's no way you can beat me Takao, not with the new defence ring my mom sent me." A chipper young blonde by the name of Mizuhara Max, shot back defiantly, his ever present adoration of his mother shining through once again.

"No way, Seiryu will grind it to dust!" Takao grinned, his playfulness belying the ruthlessness of his words. After all, everyone was used to Takaos pompous trash talking, but most of the time he was harmless.

From this distance and this obscurity I notice the little things, things that anyone who didn't spend as much time with those four as me wouldn't notice. Things like the fact that Takao always seems to be touching Max. Did you ever notice that? Not in a sexual way of course, Takao's too dense to notice his attraction to Max. 

Instead, it was with a gentle air of playfulness. An innocent desire for the warmth that came from the other, a need for his free- spirit and child-like optimism. After all, at the age of fourteen, they _were_ still children. Only when they were older would they be able to decipher the unspoken messages that they sent each other. Until then they would remain as they had started- oblivious soul mates. The way that they had instantly 'clicked' and the way that their personalities complimented each other told me that by the end of the year they'd be a couple, all they needed was a little push in the right direction. Much as I wanted to see them happy though, this push would not be coming from me. It isn't my place to meddle with affairs of the heart. I smiled slightly as Takao placed a hand on Max's shoulder in consolation. That simple gesture held more meaning then words. For a moment Max hesitated, suddenly unsure, before it passed. Grinning he clamped his hand around Takaos.

"You actually going to do some training today?" A familiar and deep voice sounded, bringing us all out of our revere. Instinctively, I turned towards the source of the comment, and suppressed a smirk. 

Hiwatari Kai and Kon Rei had just made their entrance through the leafy arch of the garden. Kai, as ever, making his presence known with a sarcastic comment, before hauling himself up onto a wall in order to get a better view of the match that he was obviously waiting for. Rei, as usual was no more then a step behind him and took Kais offered hand, using it to sit himself alongside Kai. 

This time I did smirk. As far as simple gestures go, this was a big one, especially coming from the seemingly stone- hearted leader of the BBA Revolution. After all, why would someone who hates physical contact offer a hand to his team- mate, and perhaps, more mysteriously, why would he offer his hand to a team- mate who can easily jump a ten foot wall? Such mysteries need an explanation, and luckily enough for one as inquisitive as me, I had one.

"Rei, watch me kick Takaos' ass!" Max laughed, letting his obvious adoration of Rei be known. Rei smiled back gently, nodding slightly. 

Rei was a quiet boy, far more intelligent then he appeared and extremely sensible. He was acting mother of the group, keeping the team from falling apart and sorting out any problems that came their way. At a week off sixteen, Rei was beginning to enter adulthood, and, though not an obvious transition, the others were starting to notice it, starting to look up to him more. They were beginning to respect his opinion more then ever. In fact, Takao would seek it out while Max would gaze at him with shining eyes, eyes that held a longing. It was not a longing for Rei however. It was, in fact, a longing to _be_ Rei, a desire for what he saw to be truly admirable traits. 

Rei was growing up; there was no doubt about it. His body had become leaner, and while my tastes tended to lean towards the 'fairer' sex, there was no denying that with his features becoming more defined with age, Rei was shaping up to be a very fine specimen indeed, and I'm not the only one who's noticed this.

My eyes moved left, landing on one Hiwatari Kai. If Rei was the mother of this group, then Kai would be the father. His training schedules kept their performance from slipping, while his scowl kept them in line. Kai was the undisputed leader of the group with everyone obeying his command without question. That is of course all except Takao, who seemed to love nothing _more_ then rankling Kai.

To be honest, theirs was a strange relationship. Takao pushed and pushed as far as Kai was concerned, and while he usually suffered for it, he seemed to delight in making Kai loose his calm. It was, in his own way, a victory over Kai. A small win over someone he was loath to admit he admired, because if he could break Kai's legendry patience then somehow, it was proof that he was as good as him.

Kai on the other hand, viewed Takao as nothing more then a pest, the same way that one views a little brother. Yet sometimes, though it was near undetectable, Kai seemed almost jealous of Takao. Perhaps he envied the fact that the boy was so open and so true to himself, never having to hide behind a mask. What Kai didn't realise that sometimes he _was_ as open as Takao, especially when it came to matters of the heart. You see daddy seems to have a 'thing' for mommy, and I don't mean that in a Beyblading sense.

"For Gods sakes Takao, concentrate!" Kai yelled annoyed at how quickly the navy haired boys' attention span seemed to have dissipated.

"Kai, be nice." Rei smiled slightly, cocking his head towards Kai. Kai flashed a small smile to Rei before settling back into a frown as he resumed watch over the game. 

I smiled at the small exchange, adding it to a mental list. It seemed so obvious to me, but it hadn't been confirmed until Rei and Kai had gone off training. Funnily enough _I_ had been in possession of his Suzaku bey, kind of strange that they could train together then. My suspicions confirmed, I had watched over them, noting the way that Rei seemed to seek comfort from Kai by always taking his place by Kais' side. I saw how Kai seemed far more protective of the Byakko wielder then any of the others and that, in times of doubt, Kai would always be the one who would go to Rei and offer comfort. Suddenly all of their disappearing acts seemed less innocent.

I noticed that Kai was mumbling to Rei and nodded in my direction. Rei turned around and gazed at me before turning back to Kai. Crimson locked with gold for only a second, but something passed between them as Rei nodded in return. Hopping down from his perch, Rei made his way over to me a small smile playing across his lips. Panic began to set in, I must have been staring too long. I believe that I had been found out.

"Hey," Rei spoke softly; his smile gentle, somehow I found myself calming, but then, Rei has that effect on people. 

"Do you want to come inside with me and make some food?" he asked. I smiled in return; it was nice that he made the effort to include me.

"Oh! Food?" Takao immediately piped up.

"Concentrate!" Kai scolded again. Takao grumbled in return as Rei and Max began chuckle. The indignant expression on Takaos face was hilarious and to my surprise I found myself joining in, the sound of laughter sounding alien to me, yet somehow comforting. Rei threw an arm about my shoulders and grinned at me.

"C'mon Kyuoju, lets leave them to it." He chuckled as he led me away. I smiled once again. One day I'll be a part of them, but until then, I guess I'll remain on the outside looking in.

Shinigami Tenshi: A truly weird idea that I had ^^;

Rei: ¬¬

ST: What!?

Rei: What the hell was all that about?

ST: Well I'm sorry that I like looking into characters psyche, sometimes its nice to look at the little things.

Kai: So what *do* we do when we disappear then?

ST: *grins* I dunno, you tell me ^^

Kai: *sweatdrops*

Yuri: Hey! I'm not in it!!

ST: ¬¬ are you a member of the BBA Revolution?

Yuri: Err… no?

ST: Then *that's* why

Yuri: Please *do* review. Voice your disgust at the fact that *I'm* not in it.

ST: *tackles* Hey!! 


End file.
